Jeff Mitchell: Time to accept plastic bag ban

By this October, it will be the law of the county and the city and soon of the entire state.

Of course we're talking about the ban on so-called "single use" plastic shopping bags. This means that soon, when you hit the supermarket, it'll cost you a dime apiece to get bio-degradable shopping bags to help cart your groceries home.

And if you've been reading the headlines lately, you'd know that the county and the city bag ban decisions just barely beat the new statewide plastic bag ban that was voted last week.

This is good government, folks.

After all, we charge our elected representatives with crafting local legislation that represents our sentiments. In this case, thankfully, most of us care about the horrible amount of garbage we are chucking into the ocean willy-nilly.

It's a win-win, too. It's a win for the environment and it's a win for the grocery industry, which will be able to pass on a modest charge to the consumer that won't end up later inflating prices.

That's why state Sen. Anthony Cannella's (R-Ceres) recent vote on the statewide ban was so unfortunate and out of step with so many of his consituents.

Locally, you can add Monterey County Supervisors Fernando Armenta and Simon Salinas to the list of folks who strangely voted against the bag ban. And, yes, here on the cityside, you have to add our own local lovable madcap Salinas City Councilman Jose Castañeda to that list.

Gentlemen, sorry, but this was seriously a no-brainer. Back to Politics 101 you all go. Perhaps only Cannella, who still every once in a while needs to throw his GOP supporters a bone, has an excuse.

But here in Monterey County, on the edge of one of the largest national marine sanctuaries, the bag ban is particularly significant given the impact these bags have on beautiful Monterey Bay. They really are a scourge on the land and the sea.

Essentially, what we throw out or toss away or allow to flow into our drains eventually – one way or another – gets to the ocean and that's a huge problem. Single-use plastic bags are a big part of that pollution.

According to reports, some 14 billion plastic bags are handed out each year but only 12 percent of those are recycled nationally. Here in the beautiful Golden State that recycling percentage drops to a mere 3 percent.

Again banning these things was the right thing to do. Congratulations to the many people who pushed so hard for this happen – in Sacramento, the county and at City Hall. This is one a governmental action we can all stand behind and be proud of.

Election Forums at National Steinbeck Center coming soon!

Hope you all are making plans to join us at the National Steinbeck Center next week for the first of three General Election Forums were planning this month, here's a refresher.

The particulars:

We will hold three political forums at the National Steinbeck Center for the Nov. 4 General Election on Sept. 10, Sept. 17 and Sept. 24.

All will be free and all will feature Spanish translation services. The events will run from 6 to 9 p.m. Parking is available in the adjacent municipal garage.

Light refreshments will be served. I recommend that you get there early. Our forum for this spring's primary election was packed with more than 200 in attendance.

Here's the confirmed lineup:

Wednesday, Sept. 10:

(I=incumbent)

Salinas City Council

• Tony Barrera (I)

• Patricia Rubio Coyt

• Kimbley Craig (I)

• Eric Petersen

• Steve McShane (I)

• Melissa Godwin

General Sales Tax Measure

• Proponents (Ken Allen)

• Opponents (TBA)

Wednesday, Sept. 17:

Office of Sheriff

• Scott Miller (I)

• Steve Bernal

Office of Salinas Mayor

• Joe Gunter (I)

• Bill Freeman

State Senate District 12

• Anthony Cannella (I)

• Shawn Bagley

State Assembly District 30

• Luis Alejo (I)

• Mark Starritt

Wednesday, Sept. 24:

U.S. Representative, District 20

• Sam Farr (I)

• Ronald Paul Kabat

Monterey Co. Supervisor, District 2

• Ed Mitchell

• John Phillips

Jeff Mitchell covers Salinas Valley politics and government. Under the Dome, a reported opinion column, appears Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday in print and online. Email him at jemitchell@thecalifornian.com. For quick political hits, check out Under the Dome – The Blog, available most every day at: www.theCalifornian.com